


Soft ballum

by Nic_louise_12



Category: Ballum, EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Holidays, Love, M/M, Promises, Shooting Stars, Soft ballum, Valentine's Day, Will You Marry Me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 16:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19931401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nic_louise_12/pseuds/Nic_louise_12
Summary: Just wanted some soft ballum and this is what came out





	1. Christmas

They have been together for almost 6 months, they are open and public about it but don't really show it in public unless its a hand hold or arms around each other waists. It is the holiday season and with Christmas coming at the speed of light they are both working over time, having a few beers and then off to bed everyday. It is December 20th and finally both agreed to stop working, waking up knowing they will have to face the crowd of people while Christmas shopping annoys them both so they decide to go by themselves saves a fight. Callum is first back, bags in hand he walks in met by a grinning Lexi "Have you got me anything cal" a sweet voice asks and callum goes in his pocket "Don't tell daddy" he whispers as he hands her a bag of sweets, presents safely hidden he waits foe ben who walks in with a face on "I hate shopping" he shouts so the whole house hears him as hes walking up the stairs callum just rolls his eyes and laugh.

Ben comes and joins callum, taking his hand and softy kissing it "we have about a hour till we need to be in the vic" he mumbles, callum turns "Mick and his parties ay" they share a smile. Kathy is baby sitting Lexi so callum jumps in a shower which ben joins in on, and is out and ready, joining kathy and Lexi down stairs he waiting "were going to be late!" he calls up to ben he hears a faint "yeah yeah yeah" coming from ben, soon before he walks down "god I'm ready" he says shyly smiling "right mum were off" kathy smiles and off they go.

They walk into the Vic hand in hand as always and it is busy, a good turn out they spot Jay and Lola and callum joins them while Ben gets a round in, ben joins "merry christmas" he smiles as his hands find callums leg, they sit in conversation for most of the night, mick gets the all standing to sing one last song before closing, callum drags ben up but he gets in to it at the end of the song mick calls out "Oi you two" everyone turns to face ben and callum "your standing under mistletoe" they both look up and laugh and callum turns "well" smiling at ben and ben is shocked that this is even happening after all it is callum but before he knows it callum is pulling him in for a long passionate kiss, in the moment it just feels like its just them, worlds apart when the kiss breaks they hear mick calling out "young love ay"

The next few days are busy, last minute shopping and what not but it is finally christmas eve, ben and callum cuddled on the sofa, lexi sat on the floor, even bobby, ian and kathy are there all just watching Tv in their own little world ben is lost in thought he's never had a christmas like this before clam and relaxed his thoughts are distrubed with a knocking at the door kathy gets up to open it, ben takes callums hand and kisses it softly and callum rests his head on bens chest kathy walks in followed by Phil, bens body stiffens and a sleeply callum feels it, he goes to move but ben places his arm around him "dad" he questions looking at phil, there is an awkward silence before phil speaks "I just came round to invite you all round for dinner tomorrow.. you and your partner, lexi and you three" he smiles "uh, right okay yeah we will be there" ben mumbles as phil walks out.

Ben and callum are waken by a excited Lexi, "daddies can we get up" she beams her brightest smile at them and with that they are up, ben and callum watch as she opens all her gifts, then ben demands callum goes after, watching his face light up when he opens a picture frame of the three of them, and then its ben turns, hes never been big on this at all, but hes opening them with a smile till he picks up callums, he see's him shift in his seat he turns and opens it and his face lights up and tears form, it's not much but calum has drew him asleep, he never knew how good callum was "I love it" he sniffles "I love you"

As the clock turns 3 it's time, everyone is there but them, they walk over and stop outside the door "if it gets crazy, were leaving" ben mumbles to callum as callum just grips his hand harder, they walk in and callum goes to let go of his hand but ben holds on "here they are finally we can eat" phil smiles walking over hugging them both "help me in the kitchen ben" calum wonders off greeting everyone, when lexi runs up and jumps quickly he catches here "had a good day" he asks and lexi just smiles, "hes a good one son" phil says as ben turns "yeah he is" ben goes into his pocket and pulls out a box "I was thinking of, um well" he shows phil and phil just goes white "Look Ben i know I haven't been the best dad of all time, but if this is what you want grab it" ben is shocked "r-really?" phil just smiles "when are you thinking of asking" ben looks around "today" he laughs and phil is on the move, "everyone I thought while the bird is cooking we can all sit in the living room" he looks back at ben and hushes everyone in, ben comes in and takes his seat next to callum, phil handing out a glass of bubbly ben stands "uh hey everyone" he clears his throat he goes around toasting everyone and tuns to callum "and to you callum, he smiles shyly you came into my life and turned it inside out, I knew you was someting else, but allowing me to love you hence my flaws is beyond me, you made me a better person, your the light who guides me, and for that I love you" he shoots his dad a look and after a few steps and deep breathes he gets down on one knee, everyone gasps including callum "so Callum Highway, will.. will.. will you marry me" callum is sat looking at ben right through him, if he knew this would happen a year ago he would of laughed but now in this moment hes speechless, he quickly looks aorund the toom and back at ben everyone is watching him he clears his own throat "of course ben" with that ben is pulling him up and kissing him.

That night they are both laid in bed to full to move and buzzed of the booze, callum takes bens hand "thank you.. for the best Christmas ever" he smiles ben just smiles "you are my second chance, I will love you with all my being callum highway-Mitchell" callum stops breathing .. "I like that name" he says low but soft.

with a simple I love you they both fall asleep.


	2. Valentines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's there first valentines as an engaged couple, this holiday enjoys this one, he goes above and beyond.. callum on the other hand doesn't understand why one day is all about showing you love someone when you do that everyday.. can ben make him see in a different light?

The weeks leading up to the day ben can sense callum is dreading it, every time he brings it up calum face just falls.. ben thinks maybe its because in the past he hasn't been true to himself, he had to act like he enjoyed it, he was in love sure but not head over heels in love, ben knows that something over the top would scare callum out the door, but he wanted it to be special, he wanted to show callum that it can be good, love can be amazing and just how much he means to him. He spends week trying to figure out what to do, ideas came and ideas went till he got it and the smile couldn't get an wider.

Callum is trying to busy himself but everywhere he turns its love this and love that, he walks into the mini mart and a overwhelming sense came over him even though he hated it, he couldn't leave ben without anything, so as he is picking through the cards he finds a plain and simple one which will do he guesses. He goes back to the flat and grabs a beer, sat down with a pen and didn't know what to put, he is never good with words but he couldn't just put " _Happy Valentines, love cal x_ " A few beers later and his head and heart is full of ben he takes the pen and starts to write,

_" To Ben,_

_It's funny how there is a day dedicated to love but the thing is I love you every day of the year_

_You are the light in the darkness_

_My biggest supporter and the one to fix me up when I break_

_I'd be lost with out you_

_All my love_

_cal x"_

And with that he sealed the envelope and grabs his coat, walking into the ben's lexi is already asleep, ben is laid on the sofa half watching some tv show, callum's heart grows seeing ben so relaxed like nothing is bothering him he soaks him up before saying _"want a beer"_ bens face lights up when he hears callums voice _"Oh if it isn't loverboy"_ he teases while nodding, callum joins him on the sofa, they get into light conversation about their day and ben turns _"You working tomorrow"_ he asks low. _"no jay shut up the shop, y'know with it being valentines day n'all"_ he forces a smile at ben " _oh yeah we can just chill then"_ and with that they both settle back down to watch the tv show. 

It's about 6:30 in the morning, the day of valentines, callums throat is dry, he know ben doesn't sleep with her hearing aids in so he turns _"The reason I'm not big on valentines is because.. in the past.. in the past I felt lonely, it didn't mean anything because I was hiding, living a lie.. and now that I'm not.." his voice breaking "I'm scared ben, scared of loving you too much, scared of being loved, because you are the most rawest type of love I've had, you're beautiful and soft, and I don't want to mess this up, I made you wait and now that I have you.. I know how easy it is to loose someone, paul.. paul will always ben your first love" Callum is actually crying now "and god ben I'm so sorry for what happened to him, but you need to stop blaming yourself, and its okay.. you know.. to uh talk abut him, I just hope.. I hope I make you at least a little happy than he did.. I love you ben mitchell, happy valentines day"_ he clears his throat and gets up grabbing a shower so ben wouldn't see the raw tears falling from his eyes, as the shower turns on, ben turns over, he crying to has heard everything callum said, and in that moment he heart is swelling, how did he get so lucky to have a chance with love not once but twice. Callum returns as ben wakes up or so callum thinks, callum gets back into bed and reaches over "Happy Valentines" he smiles kissing ben and handing him a card, he watches as ben opens it and reads it, his eyes glossing over with unshed tears, he reaches for callums face and places a small soft kiss while handing him his card, callum opens in and laughs a little as it has two stick men on the front ben has added a halo over one and a devils tale to the other he opens the card and reads. 

_"To my dearest callum,_

_words are not enough to describe how wonderful yo are,_

_you see me for more than my name, but I see you too_

_I want today to be as magically as you are,_

_All my love,_

_Ben x"_

Ben watches as callum tries to hide his emotions, he simply looks up " _I love you ben"_ with a smile and returns the kiss. Ben just smiles. Once they are both awake and up ben cooks a breakfast, as he stands over the cooker, callums words go over in his head, it's cut ben to the cord, how could callum not see ben would fight with his last dying breathe to tell him how much he loves him, as he walks into the living room, callum is sat relaxed at the table watching a video on his phone laughing to himself, ben looks over the man he see's how his hips stick out a little, his shoulders sit on that long body and then his ring, the ring ben has gave him not 3 months ago, the day callum agreed to marry ben, no matter how many bad things ben has done, no matter how hard he can act callum sees him and callum loves him and for ben that is more than enough, as they sit eating, ben turns " _Cal, do you mind popping over to jay's and lo's I said you'd look after lexi for a few hours.."_ he smiles at callum _"uh-sure yeah that's fine"_ callum agrees. Once there callum is pulled by lexi demanding they draw meanwhile ben, jay and lola and rushing around, ben cooking a full 3 course meal, jay is fumbling with a basket and lola is grabbing cushions and blankets.

The day is cooling and ben comes down wearing a blue suit and white shirt handing lola a bag, tell him to meet me yeah, he takes a deep breathe and lola smiles "go, set up, I'll tell him" She walks back in and smiles at callum "here you need to get dressed" she smiles handing him the bag, a few moments later he re enters in a off white suit with a blue shirt, "You look dashing" lola smiles "ben said to meet him at the park.. have a good night!" she says happily and callum sets off, ben is sat on the table waiting when he see's callum, his eyes dance at the sight of him, the smile is back and he is actually nervous as callum reaches him "If this is too much just say, I just wanted to do something" he looks at the floor and feels callums hand on his "its fine" callum says low and with that ben leads them to where a wonderful set of food is set out, they both sit and ben grabs two beers, hands one to callum "ben" he hears callums voice "why are we at the park" he looks confuse and ben looks at him "don't say anything till im done", he moves closer to callum, kneeling infront of him,

 _"Cal this place, this park, is where i let my guard done for the first time, since paul, with you, you seen the deepest, darkest points of my soul that night, and yeah sure I though of it as just another hook up, but the more I seen you, the more nights we spent it suddenly became more than sex, feelings that I thought, I thought died with paul came back, I hated you for it, but the quickly I loved you for it, I left here without even thinking i'd find a love worth dying for again, and I came back for so many reasons but this wasn't part of the plan, you wasn't supposed to change me, you see me in the same light paul did, you see me for me and not the big hard ben mitchell, this park will always be our sepical place, the place where I fell in love you, callum highway"_ he pauses _"I heard you this morning y'know.. and sure paul was my first love, but you cal, you are my last, and you don't need to be scared of loving me or me loving you, no one will lead me a stray, i don't want anyone but you" he takes callums hand "this is all yours cal, you have me completely"_

callum can feel bens heart racing and he looks up _"ben- I,-I"_ He leans up kissing ben hard and passionate, _"I love you"_ he smiles shyly.

The night seems to drag but in a good way, both of them laying up looking at the stars callum sits up and turns _" I have a confession"_ he says softly and ben jumps up _"w-what"_ callum face softens _"so um the thing is" he pulls a few papers out of his pocket "its cheesy and romantic but.. I got us a star" he points up "that one is well, its Mitchell-Highway"_ he smiles and ben's face softens _"and um, this may be way out of order but the one next to it.. well thats.. um thats paul"_ he hands ben the papers and ben could die in this moment, he looks up are both stars and back at callum, callum is still as the night looking at ben " _I know paul will always be a apart of you, and I will never ignore that, he lives in you and"_ before he can finish ben throws himself in to him _"thank you"_ he says almost a wishper and in that moment ben couldn't love him anymore, he aint phased about paul, that ben loved paul, he embraces that and he even got ben star for paul, laying in the arms of a man who is so kind, understanding and most of all too good for ben he knows that this hoilday is going to be on the list which callum loves and for that he can't wait for next year.

They end the night hand in hand walking home, callum stops and ben tuns and there he is on one knee _"it's only fair if I ask you too"_ he grins " _Ben Mitchell, the love of my life, will you marry me"_ ben just smiles and meets callum on his knees " _It will be my pleasure"_ the kiss long but soft, ben looks up and he is sure he sees a shooting star with a smile and a kiss the night has never felt younger, they are both madly in love what ever the future holds, ben knows, looking at callum, hes home, he is where he blongs and nothing matters anymore just callum, callum is his end game.


End file.
